


Give Me a Purpose

by erbby17



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Battle of the Bands, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-04 22:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4155714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erbby17/pseuds/erbby17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haruka has always admired local rock band, The Hammerheads, especially their front man, Rin. But does his own no-name, rookie band have what it takes to compete for the chance for a big time record deal?</p><p>Note: This fic will quite be strong with HaruRin, but it does start off with an established SouRin (although "it's complicated").</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reunited

The poster fluttered in the wind that blew gently through the opened window. Wedged between the surface of the nightstand and a cellular phone, it showcased a group of four young men, all in the midst of performing at a rock concert. The splash of red hair from the front man was by far the most catching feature of the poster, save for the text on it:

THE HAMMERHEADS  
Back in Action!!!!  
Reunion Beach Concert – Saturday

At the lift of the phone, the poster flew to the floor and landed right beneath Haruka’s feet. He heard the shuffling and stared down at the image, now stuck between his shoe and the floor. His eyes focused on the floating mess of red hair, and he only looked up by the third time Makoto called his name.

“Haru!”

Slowly, he raised his head and met Makoto’s serene, green eyes.

“Ready to go?”

Nodding, Haruka stepped over the poster, and out of the room, joining Makoto out of their apartment and towards the ocean.

“Nagisa said he’ll meet us there,” Makoto said, once the duo met the soft sands of the beach.

“Cool,” Haru said, his phone vibrating in his hands.

Hammerhead Show, 15 min, it read, a small image of a clock dancing above the text.

He pocketed his phone discretely but could feel Makoto’s smile from behind him.

“It’s been so long, first time seeing them in almost two years. I bet you’re more excited than I am,” Makoto said, a suggestive tone in his voice, though his smile still rang through in his bright tone.

“…I guess.”

Laughing awkwardly, Makoto kept up the conversation. “It’s great that they’re back. And I hear they have a new drummer, too! Can’t remember what his name is, though.”

Haruka hummed in acknowledgement, keeping his eyes ahead of him as the beachside stage came closer into view. There wasn’t much of a crowd yet, but there were enough people to block him from standing at the edge of the stage. 

“He should be here soon,” Makoto said, checking his phone.

Haru’s eyes scanned the crowd, trying to find any opening to fit through to make it closer to the stage. No, the crowd wasn’t as large as their last performance, but he struggled to find a direct route. Staring at the stage, he took in a deep breath of salty air, remembering that last concert two years prior. 

“Mako!! Haru!!” Through the crowd forming behind them, Haruka and Makoto heard the bright, cheery voice of their friend Nagisa, his smile beaming brighter than the setting sun along the horizon. He ran towards them, looking as if he had the full intent of attacking them with a hug.

Makoto laughed and waved back as their friend joined them.

“Hey,” Haru said, but his focus shifted back to the stage. He could only vaguely make out the words Makoto and Nagisa were saying.

“Only Haru,” he heard Nagisa’s voice say through a laugh. He didn’t care what they were saying about him, though. He had one goal that night, and that was to see Rin Matsuoka perform again. His presence on stage was electric and Haruka could remember the feeling of each note surging and coursing through his bones. He longed for that feeling again and for the sound of Rin’s voice. 

Soon, the sun had set, below the billowing waves, and minutes later, the stage lights flashed on. Haruka could feel the surges once more, for the first time in two years. The crowd, which had grown exponentially in the past few minutes, roared as the new drummer started up the first track. Aiichiro Nitori was next on stage, strumming on his bass to the beat of the drums, and was welcomed uproariously by the crowd. The screams only grew louder when Sousuke Yamazaki sauntered on, starting off the song on his guitar. That’s when the waiting started to grow painful for Haru; it felt like an eternity of songs played before Rin made his entrance.

Finally, his body morphed on stage, the lights dimming to make his sudden entrance more dramatic. Just him and the microphone, Rin took a hand through his red hair before addressing the audience. 

“Hey, we’re the Hammerheads,” he said, pausing to smirk at the crowd. “Let’s do this!!”

Haruka’s heart fluttered in his chest when The Hammerheads’ front man immediately burst into song, following the lead of his bandmates. He had the urge to close his eyes and let the music take over his body, but he dared not to take his eyes off Rin for a single moment. Nagisa screamed and rocked aggressively at his side, while Makoto moved placidly to the tempo, humming along to the melody. He tried to block out their movements and their voices; he so desperately wanted to savor this moment forever, and by the time the first song ended, Haru realized that he was holding his breath for most of it.

Rin laughed into the mic and stared back at his bandmates, sharing secret smiles and smirks the crowd could only wish to be a part of. “Oh man, it feels good to be back! And we sound great!! What do you think?”

The crowd of a couple hundred could have been a crowd of a couple thousand, their screams and cries roaring into the night sky. 

“Awesome, great! Hey, thanks for coming out tonight, it means a lot! We’ve got a few new songs and we’ve got plenty of old favorites for you, but before we move onto our next song, I just want to take this moment to introduce our newest addition, Momotarou Mikoshiba!!”

The new drummer excitedly showed off his skills to the screams of the crowd before Rin signaled the end of his solo. “Alright, settle down, Momo,” he said, facing back to the audience and giving them a wink. “This next one’s new, but I know you’ll love it.”

The concert continued, and Haru kept his eyes on Rin’s mouth the entire night. After each new song, Haru already knew most of the lyrics, and for every old song, he felt his heart beating along; nothing could amount to the feeling of hearing him live again. 

After one of their older songs, the lights on the stage grew brighter, and the band started to make their exit. “Thanks!! We love you,” Rin called, walking off stage to the crowd’s chants for an encore.

“Wow,” Nagisa said breathlessly beside Haru, before cupping his hands around his mouth and screaming, “One more song!!”

The rest of the crowd followed suit, and after several grueling moments, Rin and the rest of the Hammerheads rushed back on stage and back into song. It was a new one, Haru had never heard it before, but it was so electrically charged and fast-paced like their earlier work that it got the audience jumping and jamming harder than the rest of the show.

Rin was laughing at the end of the song and grabbed the mic with excited vigor. “Again, we want to thank you for your support, and we would like to announce that the Hammerheads will be returning to compete in the Battle of the Bands this year! And this time, we’re gonna win!!”

With his final announcement, the crowd cheered more excitedly and Rin left the stage with his bandmates, the energy of their show still hovering above the stage.

“That was incredible,” Nagisa screamed, wrapping his arms around Haru.

Makoto laughed and glanced over at the stage. “They really were, better than I can even remember.”

“And they’re doing Battle of the Bands again? Oh man, they’ve gotta win this year, they’re too good not to,” Nagisa said, his body still wiggling from excitement.

“Hmm, I agree, but what about you guys?”

The three of them looked over at a young woman, her red hair tied up into a ponytail; she was dressed in formal, business attire that seemed strikingly inappropriate for a rock concert on a beach. Haru nearly lost his breath again; the woman looked so much like his musical obsession.

“Um,” Makoto said, but he barely had a chance to get another word out.

“Sorry,” she said, laughing. “My name’s Kou.” She extended her hand for a shake, Makoto slowly returning the favor. “I’ve heard the three of you play in the area, and I think you could give Rin and his Hammerheads a run for their money.”

The three of them exchanged incredulous looks. “What do you mean,” Nagisa asked, baffled.

Kou smirked, and again, Haru was reminded of Rin’s smile during the concert. “I think the three of you could bring something really interesting to the competition this year.”

“You’ve heard us play?” Makoto’s cheeks grew pink, as if he were embarrassed that someone had heard their music.

“Plenty of times, hell, I was at your coffee shop show last weekend,” she said, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder. “When I saw the three of you here tonight, I just had to approach you. And I think I could help you get there, into the competition.”

“That’s…”

Kou’s words rang throughout Haruka’s mind, as it followed its own path. “You can get us to play with Rin?” The words fell out of his mouth before anyone could process what he was saying.

The pink on her cheeks was unexpected, but she nodded. “Well, yeah, I guess,” she said. “Anyway, have my card.” She rummaged in her bag before handing Haruka a business card:

Kou M.  
Splash! Management Agency  
Intern

“Give me a call and I’ll come over, listen to some of your songs, see what I can for the three of you. I have high hopes,” she said with a wink, and waved as she walked off into the dispersing crowd.

Makoto and Nagisa were dumbfounded, staring at each other as if they were slapped across the face. 

“She’s heard us play?”

Makoto’s laugh bordered on exasperated and charm. “And she thinks we’re good?”

Haru kept staring at her card, the number etched just beneath her title, and his mind flooded with images akin to dreams. He held a chance to perform against, perhaps even alongside Rin, in his hands, and he wasn’t about to let go. The thought of performing in the same competition with him was difficult to grasp, but his heart fluttered in his chest.

“Let’s do it.”


	2. The Hammerheads

“That was incredible!!!” Momo burst into the small beach house, his arms flailing over his head and his drumsticks flying into the air.

The rest of the band followed in, Ai, dodging a plummeting drumstick. “Careful, Momo!!”

Rin come in last with an intoxicated smile on his face. “I almost forgot the rush I get when performing. What a night” he said, falling onto the couch and sinking into the cushions. 

Sousuke joined at his side, strumming at his guitar despite the fact that it was unplugged and quite far from any amps. “Best show I’ve ever performed,” he said, focused on his strumming. Rin could catch the slightest of smiles on his lips.

“It’s because we’re back together, I think that’s why we did so well,” Ai said.

“Mm,” Rin hummed in agreement. “Ain’t that right Sousuke?”

“I had my reasons,” Sousuke said, finally setting his guitar aside. “But I’m glad to be back.” His small smile from earlier grew.

Rin grinned back at Sousuke and was suddenly filled with the urge to take that smile into his own. Had the beach house not gained another occupant, he probably would have.

“I must have been crazy for leaving this band!! Little bro, you were awesome out there!! I can’t even believe it!”

“Mikoshiba!” Rin jumped up from the couch to greet his former bandmate in a classic handshake-hug combination.

He laughed and returned Rin’s hug with twice the force. “You guys were seriously mind blowing tonight, and I’m not just saying that,” he said, releasing himself from the hug and going right for his brother. “Momo, where did you get those mad drumming skills?!”

“From you, bro!”

“Not a chance,” he said, fluffing up Momo’s hair. “I’m the reason we didn’t win Battle of the Bands those two years in a row. But now that you’re back? And like this? Without a doubt, you’re winning. I don’t even care what kind of competition arrives.”

“You really think so,” Ai said, his eyes sparkling with delight.

Mikoshiba wrapped his arm around Ai and squeezed tight. “Are you kidding me, Nitori? I could barely believe my ears out there. Seriously, drinks are on me tonight, to celebrate the Hammerheads’ triumphant return!”

Momo stared blankly at his brother. “Uh, bro, I can’t drink yet,” he said.

Mikoshiba grabbed both his brother’s arm, Ai still tight in his grip, and turned them towards the door. “Not a problem, lil’ bro, I know some people. Hey, come on, two, free drinks!”

Rin smiled and nodded towards the mess left in the beach house. “We’ll meet up with you in a bit, gonna clean up the beach house. Don’t want them to charge us even more for the show.”

Mikoshiba winked and lead his quarry out of the beach house. “Sounds good. I’ll send you a text when we get to the bar. Later!”

Rin shook his head with a laugh as he closed the door behind the trio. “Good to see that Mikoshiba hasn’t changed much.”

“Yeah, the real world looks like it’s treating him real nice,” Sousuke said, his guitar back on his lap. He had started spot checking it with some polish.

“Better than it treated me two years ago,” Rin said hushed, falling back onto the couch next to Sousuke.

Sousuke laughed and set aside both his guitar and the polish. “You and me both.”

“Yeah, tell me how that went again?” Rin teased, nudging Sousuke in the side, but there was no malice in his voice.

Sousuke let out a rare laugh, soft and breathy. “Come on,” he said. “I thought it would be easy to make a solo career as a guitarist.”

Rin roared with laughter and the force of it left him resting against Sousuke’s arm. “I’m just teasing.”

“I did, though,” he said, leaning back into Rin. “Idiot, never realized how badly I needed you guys.”

Rin closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. He settled against Sousuke, and nudged his arm with his head. “And we needed you. I’m glad to have you back.”

“Yeah?” Sousuke’s voice grew softer and a slight smile parted his lips. He turned his head to Rin and moved in closer to him, their noses nearly touching. “I’m glad to be back.”

“Good,” Rin said, reaching up behind Sousuke’s neck to pull him in closer, until the sound of the door opening disturbed the moment.

“You guys sounded gr-, whoops! Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt!!”

Almost taking Sousuke with him, Rin nearly fell off the couch when he saw his sister enter the room. “G-gou!”

“Sorry,” she said, still blushing. “I just wanted to congratulate you on an awesome show! Good to see you again, Sousuke!”

Sousuke smirked and stood up to greet Gou with a light peck on her cheek. “Same for you. How goes the internship? Rin says it’s with Splash! Management.”

Gou’s eyes lit up and Rin could tell by the slight tremble in her body that she had a lot to say. “Yes! Oh, it’s going really well. They’re a small agency so they mainly manage more traditional groups, so they don’t have a lot modern groups they manage.” A devilish smile crept on her lips. “I’m kind of hoping I can convince them to broaden their range.”

“Yeah? How so,” Sousuke said, walking back towards the couch to pack up his guitar.

Again, Gou’s legs wiggled beneath her. “Well, I think I just made my first scouting tonight, so hopefully I can start with them.”

“Scouting? At the concert?”

Gou nodded vigorously.

Rin laughed, slightly affronted by Gou’s actions, but intrigued nonetheless. “How did you scout a band at our concert?”

“I saw them in the crowd,” she said. “There’s this local rookie band, they mostly play in coffee shops around the area. They’re…alright, I guess, but their guitarist is incredible, especially on the off chance that he sings.”

“And you approached them?”

Gou nodded excitedly. “Yup! I don’t think they have anyone representing them so I gave them my card.”

“So they’re gonna give you a call,” Rin said, trying to keep the skepticism out of his voice.

Gou sighed, but still kept a hopeful smile on her face. “I hope so. Told them I could help them get into Battle of the Bands. Actually, the guitarist seemed pretty interested in competing against you.”

“Yeah?”

Gou looked right into her brother’s eyes, and Rin didn’t entirely trust the odd gleam in her eye. “Oh yes. Anyway, where’s Ai and…”

“Momo? They went out,” Sousuke said, picking up the fallen drumsticks from earlier.

“Yeah, Mikoshiba’s treating us to drinks,” Rin said, noticing how the beach house was slowly getting cleaner. “Did you wanna join?”

Gou scrunched her face in uncertainty. “Hmm, not really. His little brother is a little…severe. I’ll sit this one out, but thanks, Rin!”

“Where you off to now?”

“I think I’ll just head back home,” she said, staring at the door. “Awesome job tonight!” She gave her brother and Sousuke a quick hug before walking towards the door.

“Good luck with that band,” Sousuke called out after her.

“Thanks!”

Sousuke shook his head and fell back onto the couch. “Internship? Man, time’s flying.”

Rin stared at the door and smiled at the thought of his younger sister’s ambitions turning into something more palpable. “Right?”

“Two years?”

“If you keep repeating it, they don’t come back,” Rin said, walking back towards the couch, placing his hands on Sousuke’s shoulders.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. But I did get you back,” Sousuke said, his teal eyes thinning as they scanned Rin carefully.

Rin settled himself between Sousuke’s legs and leaned in close, the space between their faces closing intimately. “Yeah?”

Sousuke’s hands rested on Rin’s hips, bringing his body up against his own. “When do they want us out of here tonight?”

“Eleven,” Rin said, biting Sousuke’s bottom lip and giving it a gentle tug. 

“Good, we’ve got some time.” Sousuke bit back and pulled Rin down onto the couch for more than just a playful kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter was a bit of a struggle for me and I'm not entirely pleased with how it turned out. It's my intention to update it and re-post. This version will remain up until the update. Thanks for reading!_
> 
> \- erbby, Jul. 5, '15


	3. Penguin Pop

Haruka lay awake for most of the night, holding Kou’s business card above his face to affirm the reality of the evening. He would occasionally place it down on his nightstand, and after minutes of sleepless unease, pick it up once more to stare at the number. He would place the card next to his phone, perhaps as a reminder of what purpose the card held. But every time he was pressed with the urge to contact Kou while staring at the card, he would realize the time of the night, and place it down again, only to repeat the process when sleep continued to failed him.

The last time he could remember seeing on his clock as 4:32. Then, without warning, his habit of the night ceased and sleep arrived.

The flash of bright lights was shocking enough, but as they subsided, Haruka saw the incredible volume of the stadium size crowd. They were screaming his name, and Makoto’s, and Nagisa’s. He turned to his side to see Kou backstage, smiling broadly and nodding with satisfaction. Behind him he heard Nagisa screaming excitedly as he beat out a quick and energized rhythm. To his other side, he saw Makoto, leaning into a microphone and smiling back at him.

“We did it,” he said, to both Haruka and the crowd. 

Haruka looked back out, astounded at the sight. And that’s when the red hair flashed in front of him. Rin Matsuoka climbed onto the stage from the crowd. He looked as amazing as he did the night of the beach concert. He approached Haruka, his smile almost seductive, his arms reading out.

“You were incredible, Haru…”

As Rin edged in closer, he kept repeating his name. “Haru…Haru…Haru…”

But before they were nose to nose, Rin’s voice changed to someone else’s, and as the last “Haru” came out of his mouth, he vanished.

“Haru! You up?”

Haruka struggled to open his eyes, but there was no returning to the dream now; he was awake.

“Yeah,” he groaned, seeing the time on his clock read 11:25.

“It’s almost noon,” Makoto said from the door frame. “Nagisa wanted to come over to talk about the girl who came up to us at the concert last night.”

Haruka reached for the card still on his nightstand, along with his phone, and began to dial Kou’s number. “I’m calling her now.”

“H-Haru!!” Makoto stumbled into the room, tripping over Haruka’s clothes from the previous night. “Wait until Nagisa gets here! I…I think it’s important to talk this over as a band first.”

His thumb hovered over the send button, Haruka’s waking mind actually taking the time to process Makoto’s words. He pressed cancel and put his phone done. “Alright.”

Makoto sighed with relief and walked out of Haruka’s room. “It’s a little late for breakfast, but I can make something for lunch.”

“No need,” Haruka said, stepping out of bed. “I’m up now, I’ll make something.”

Haruka cleaned up the mess he left on his floor from the previous night and sauntered into the kitchen, grabbing his apron and heading right for the grill to cook up some mackerel. Makoto had insisted that he had already eaten, but Haruka doubted it based on his side glances towards the refrigerator. Shortly after noon, Nagisa arrived, his mouth running a mile a minute about the concert from the previous night and their chance encounter with Kou.

“I barely got any sleep,” Nagisa said, nearly falling out of his chair as he attempted to sit in it.

“I’m just surprised she’s heard us play before. And that she managed to recognize us,” Makoto said, taking a sip of his coffee. “The fact that she wants to represent and manage us kind of blows me away.”

Haruka took a bite of his lunch and looked up at his friends. “She’s just an intern, though,” he said, having memorized every bit of her business card.

“Intern?”

“What? You mean she’s not a real manager?” Nagisa slumped in his chair. “And I was so excited, too!”

Makoto laughed and patted Nagisa’s back. “Don’t say that, Nagisa, although it would explain why she would want to work with a band like us.”

“Why?”

“She’s starting out, just like us,” Haruka said. He got up from the table to set his plate in the sink and headed straight for his bedroom. He returned moments later with Kou’s business card. “Splash! Management is a local talent agency, but they don’t normally represent modern bands like us.”

Makoto took the card in his hands to inspect it and glanced at Haruka. “You looked them up?”

Haruka nodded. “They book gigs for local festivals, mostly traditional musical groups.”

“Weird,” Nagisa said, leaning over Makoto’s shoulder.

“But it does make sense,” Makoto said. “She’s just interning, she doesn’t have much to lose for scouting a band like us.”

Haruka nodded and reached back for the card. “That’s what I was thinking. So, can I give her a call now?”

“Wait, Haru…”

“Yeah! Let’s do it! She says she can get us into Battle of the Bands,” Nagisa said, shifting excited gazes with Haruka and Makoto.

Haru dialed but looked up to Makoto before he pressed send. “Makoto?”

Makoto kept his glance to the table after sharing tentative gazes with both Haruka and Nagisa. 

Haru could notice the tension in his body; as the lead singer, this would be a lot of pressure on him. 

After a deep breath he looked up and nodded, a determined smile on his face. “Yes.”

Haruka smiled and pressed send.

-

“So what songs are we playing for her?” Makoto was setting up their equipment in Nagisa’s parents’ basement, their usual rehearsal space, waiting for Kou to arrive. She had agreed on seeing them Tuesday afternoon, after a meeting with her supervisor at the University.

Nagisa was lightly tapping out rhythms on his drums, looking up at the ceiling for ideas. “I definitely think we should play _Wanted_. Yeah, that’s a good one,” he said, nodding in agreement to his own idea.

“That’s because you have a big drum solo in that,” Makoto said with a laugh. “But I don’t think that’s a bad idea. We should each pick a song that we feel represents the best of us. Haru, what do you think?”

Haruka shrugged, strumming his unplugged guitar and carefully adjusting the strings. “I just wanna play, I don’t need to showcase anything.”

“Right,” Makoto said, getting the microphone stand set to his height. “So we’ll start with Wanted for Nagisa and then…”

The door to the basement creaked open loudly. “Hello?” Her voice echoed down the stairwell.

“Kou?” Makoto called out, the voice above remaining disembodied before she appeared, walking down the stairs. 

She smiled when she spotted them and hurried down to their level. “Sorry I’m a little early.”

Makoto smiled, but Haruka could see the unease in his eyes; he was always nervous about performing. “No, that’s fine! We just need some more time to set up.”

“That’s okay,” she said, looking around and spotting a small stool to sit on. “I can wait, just let me know when you’re ready!”

After checking all the plugs and cables and testing out the mics, Makoto took in a breath that shook his core. He turned to the rest of his bandmates and gathered them for a huddle. “Okay, um, we’ll start with _Wanted_ and then, um, _Good Luck with the Rest_? Or…”

“Makoto,” Haru said, grabbing his hand and giving it a light squeeze. “Let’s just start with the first song and see how we feel afterwards.”

Makoto smiled and Haruka could see the relief fill his face. “Okay, that sounds good.”

“Let’s do it!” Nagisa winked and skipped back behind his drum set.

Haruka settled himself beside the back-up mic and watched Makoto pace himself to his own mic. Makoto took a deep breath and glanced at Haruka. He smiled and faced forward.

“Thanks for coming out today,” he said, addressing their limited audience. “We’re Penguin Pop and this song is called _Wanted_.”

Kou kept her gaze forward, seemingly unmoved by Makoto’s words.

Makoto glanced back, gave Nagisa a nod, and the song began with an intense drum introduction that eventually led into Haruka’s entrance.

Haruka let the music take over him, letting his fingers do the work without his intervention. He generally played that way, but one glance towards Kou set a spark off in his brain. She resembled Rin Matsuoka so much, and that thought reminded him of her promise, that they could play alongside the Hammerheads. Haruka, for the first time, took control of his body, control of his fingers, and put more into his music than he generally did. He immediately saw the change in her expression; he could have sworn he saw a smile pinch at her cheeks.

Makoto started to lead the song with his lyrics, his bass work gentle as always so he could concentrate on the singing. But this was Nagisa’s song and the drums were what really carried the rest of the music here. 

The song ended with a blast of the drums, and Haruka smiled. He thought of the high energy of the song, only added because of Nagisa, and thought it had always made a good opening number. He looked to Kou, her eyes still unwavering. 

Makoto looked to both Haruka and Nagisa, smiling, and mouthed, “ _Good Luck_?”

Haruka and Nagisa responded with a smile and with Makoto’s lead, they played right into the song. It was significantly slower than their first number, led by Makoto’s strangely melodic bassline. His words were just as haunting, the ballad about heartbreak making Haruka’s fingers work involuntarily once more.

This time, he didn’t look towards Kou, he just kept playing. He felt oddly at peace playing this song, feeling the meaning down to his bones. Makoto’s voice always sounded excellent in the song, especially during the chorus; Haruka liked listening and letting Makoto’s voice carry him away. As the song ended, Haruka found his eyes were closed for most of it and he chanced to open them for the final chord.

Again, Kou remained still, until Makoto turned his head to his other bandmates. 

“What about Haruka?”

Makoto froze and met Haruka’s gaze. “What?” He turned slowly; he looked stunned that Kou even spoke.

“Doesn’t Haruka sing any songs?” She only moved her lips; the rest of her body remained still.

Haruka waited for Makoto to meet his eyes again. “Yeah,” Haruka said after a pause. “I sing a few songs.”

Kou smiled and leaned back in her chair. “May I hear one?”

“Haru?” Nagisa stared at Haruka, waiting on his response.

His eyes darted between Nagisa and Makoto, knowing that they were waiting for him to make the call. “Sure,” he said, staring down at his guitar. “We’ve…been working on a new song recently…”

“ _Float_? But it’s not…” Makoto started to say.

“No, it’s fine, we can improvise,” Haruka said, keeping his eyes down.

“Great!” Kou sounded strangely excited.

Haruka glanced up and on his nod, his bandmates began to play. It was rough, Makoto and Nagisa making numerous mistakes and audibly acknowledging them with grunts, but Haruka trailed through. When he came across an unfinished verse, he let his tongue do the work and sang whatever flowed out of his mouth. Even his guitar part was unfinished, but he let the feeling of the song take over. He knew what kind of mood he wanted from the song, and let that through in his playing and his singing. A side glance at Kou told him it was working; she was beaming.

By the end of the song, Makoto and Nagisa were grumbling about their numerous failures, but Haruka looked straight ahead to Kou.

“That,” she started to say, nearly jumping out of the stool. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear, wow. And that’s a work in progress? Never would have guessed…”

“R-really?” Nagisa looked stunned. 

Makoto’s mouth hung open. He kept looking down at his bass and back to Kou, unsure of where to look next.

Haruka kept his eyes on Kou. “So, do you think we’re good enough for Battle of the Bands?”

Kou slowly walked towards the band, her hands pressed together as if she were thinking up some sketchy scheme. “I don’t think there’s a doubt that the Hammerheads will win this year,” she said, acknowledging all three of them with a biting stare. “After their performance the other night, that record deal is practically in their hands. But you guys? You could be that doubt.”

Makoto gasped, his face contorting in confusion. “You think so?”

“Oh yeah, you definitely have the potential to rival them,” she said, smirking.

“Potential,” Haru echoed, eyeing Kou suspiciously. “What do we have to do in order to get to that level?”

Kou laughed and shook her head. “Nothing gets past you, huh?” She stared Haruka down, but he could see the sincerity in her eyes, but he also knew she had much more planned for them. “Another member. I think a fourth member in this band would really get you guys going.”

From behind the drums, Nagisa let out a whine. “Another member? But auditions are Friday night! How are we going to find a fourth member and practice in time?”

“I know just the guy,” Kou said, glancing down at her phone. “And luckily, he’s performing in about an hour…”


	4. Flying Solo

Haruka entered the coffee shop behind Kou and the others. He remembered playing here on one occasion, but knew that they normally reserved space for poetry slams and open mic nights. Tonight, there was a large poster at the door advertising a sort of one man show.

  
**Ryuugazaki**  
Man of Music

“He plays the keyboard,” Kou whispered to the troupe behind her. “But it’s not really traditional in any sense of the word. Really artistic and, well, weird.”

Haruka noticed the tall young man on the small stage, setting up his equipment. He felt a little embarrassed to have his guitar slung at his back, but Kou told him to bring it.

“He’ll need some convincing, it’s been said that he’s really stubborn,” she had said back at Nagisa’s.

The crowd in the coffee shop was pretty standard for a Tuesday evening; mostly teenagers and university students from the area. A few older couples sat at tables, and Haruka noticed a small group of three young men that looked to be there for the performance. “Looks like he has a bit of a following,” Haruka said, pointing to the group.

Nagisa spotted them and looked impressed. “I’m so excited to hear him! Did you see the poster? ‘Man of Music,’ that sounds pretty cool to me,” he said, looking around for a table up by the stage.

“Hold on, we should sit near the back,” Kou said, grabbing Nagisa by the shoulder.

Makoto glanced around and spotted a table in the corner with four empty chairs. “Right there, I’ll go get some drinks.”

Kou smiled and joined Makoto at his side. “I’ll go up with you,” she said.

Nagisa bounced over to the table and squirmed in his seat the second he sat down. “I’m so curious. What kind of music do you think he’ll play, Haru??”

Sitting down, Haruka shrugged, but whatever this Ryuugazaki person played, he hoped that it would work well with the band. He glanced over at the young man on the stage and noticed how every few seconds he would readjust his glasses and stare at his keyboard with great attention.

“He looks like he could be a professional,” Nagisa said, the awe resonating in his voice.

“I doubt it…”

Nagisa laughed, a hint of blush appearing on his cheeks. “Well, yeah, if he’s playing here he’s probably not, but look at him! He’s so engrossed in his work.”

Haruka nodded, and saw the young man motion over to one of the employees in the coffee shop. “I think he’s starting.”

Right as the lights dimmed and the man on the stage sat at his keyboard, Makoto and Kou returned with drinks.

“My treat,” she said, setting a hot chocolate in front of Nagisa, the mountain of whipped cream nearly toppling onto the table.

Nagisa’s eyes lit up. “Thanks!”

Makoto laughed and slid a glass of water over to Haruka and sat at his side. He winked at Haruka and took a light sip of his coffee at the moment the sound of feedback caught the audience’s attention.

“Good evening,” the man on stage said, his voice deep and resonant. “I’m Rei Ryuugazaki, thanks for coming out tonight. Every piece tonight is an original work. Enjoy.”

His stage presence was cold and stiff, and the first note he played on the keyboard lasted much longer than would have been comfortable. His movements at the keyboard were sharp and oddly precise, but the notes didn’t mesh well, and his spoken-word lyrics barely made sense.

The excitement had fled Nagisa’s face; he looked as if he were trying to hold his breath. Makoto’s mouth was gaped open, shocked at the performance. But Haruka had noticed that Kou’s expression didn’t change. What about this guy did she think would be good for their band?

Haruka watched as Rei finished his “song” and tossed back of his head as the reverb of the notes dissipated. The small group of men from earlier was the only ones to applaud. A few patrons had left, although Haruka wasn’t even sure if they were at the coffee shop for the show.

The second song began with a light, upbeat melody line, but quickly descended back into the monotone banging on the keyboard and words that made no sense.

“Kou,” Haruka whispered across the table. “What do you see in him?”

She put her finger up to her lips, shushing Haruka and never meeting his eyes.

Haruka grimaced and leaned back in his seat; he didn’t know if he could handle another song, let alone an entire set. 

Rei played another four songs, during which, Nagisa went to the bathroom six times. Makoto fidgeted in his seat, glancing at the door every so often. Haruka watched impatiently, checking the time on his phone at least every two minutes.

“Thank you,” Rei said after his final song. The same small group clapped, but the rest of the coffee house remained silent.

Kou joined in and suddenly yelled, “Encore!”

From the back of the coffee shop, Haruka could see the flush rise in Rei’s cheeks.

“Uh, no encore tonight, sorry,” he said, taking a glance at the coffee shop manager.

“Oh well, it was worth a try,” Kou said, finishing off her cappuccino. “So, what did you guys think?”

The three bandmates exchanged uneasy glances before Makoto spoke up. “Very, uh, interesting,” he said.

“Hmm, yes! And very original, too,” Nagisa added, an uncertain chuckle beneath his voice.

Kou smirked and stood up. “Yeah, honestly, he’s been better on other nights, but don’t worry, he’ll have to play our music if he wants to join. Anyway, let’s congratulate him on his show, right?”

The band followed her lead, albeit slowly. Haruka lingered in the back of their collective. He could feel the stares from the remaining patrons; his guitar was all too obvious slung at his back.

“Ryuugazaki, congrats on a show well done,” Kou said, approaching Rei.

He was wrapping a cord around his arm and smiled awkwardly at her. “Uh, thank you, and thank you for coming out tonight.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” she said. “Ryuugazaki, I have a question for you. Are you familiar with the Battle of the Bands?”

Rei let out a forced laugh, placing his cords in a bag. “Ah, yes, actually, but as you can see, I’m kind of a one man show. Not really on par with the rules of the competition.”

Kou’s face revealed the she would not back down. “What if you joined these guys?” She pointed back to Nagisa, Makoto, and Haruka.

Rei didn’t even bother to laugh this time. “I just told you, I’m a one man show. I don’t want to enter Battle of the Bands, and I really don’t want to join a band. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to…”

“I understand,” she interrupted. But you can’t make a decision until you give them a listen.” Kou stepped aside, turning her face to Haruka. “Are you ready?”

“What?” Rei looked stunned, and a little affronted as Haruka walked up onto the small stage. 

Haruka felt even more embarrassed with the guitar at his back.

“Haruka here is the guitarist and one of the singers, too. How about you listen to him, just one song, and then we’ll let you head out for the evening,” Kou said, having a seat at the nearest table. Her look was determined and her smile smug.

Rei groaned and took one of the cables out of his bag. “Fine,” he said, handing the cable to Haruka. “That amp is still plugged in.”

“Thanks,” Haruka said softly, but he wasn’t sure if Rei heard him as the other man had resumed his packing.

Haruka took a few moments to plug his guitar in and after a few strums to tune his it, he looked to Kou. Her smiled grew and she nodded. He sighed, his heart fluttering in his chest, and starting playing the introduction to _Float_.

He was worried his nerves would affect his playing; he was unable to completely absorb himself in the music. He tried playing it like he did earlier that day, but kept his eyes closed to avoid any looks of disappointment. At the last chord, Haruka let the sound from the amp fade to nothing before he opened his eyes. Kou looked abnormally pleased; Nagisa and Makoto also looked excited, almost hopeful. Haruka chanced a glance at Rei and saw a glint of wetness beneath his glasses.

“So,” Haruka said, unplugging his guitar. “That was _Float_.”

“That was,” Rei started to say, reaching up to wipe his eyes. “That was beautiful.” He was choked up and could barely get his words out. After a few moments, he looked over to Kou. “Is all of their music like that?”

Kou stood up and walked up to Rei. “Why? Thinking of joining?”

Rei looked to his equipment and stared longingly at Haruka’s guitar. “If our music is going to sound like that, I’d be crazy not to join.”

Nagisa squealed and hugged Makoto at his side. “ _Our_ music, he said!!”

“Awesome,” Kou said. “Boys, I think we’ve got ourselves a band.”

Nagisa has started chanting, “Battle of the Bands! Battle of the Bands!”

Haruka stood on the stage, staring down at his guitar, and smiled. He could feel the warmth rise in his chest, and it wasn’t just because Nagisa had dragged over Makoto for a group hug. Again, he closed his eyes, and this time, he was met with a bright flash of red.


	5. Wave Break

Rin walked into the apartment and immediately kicked off his shoes into the pile beside the door. “I’m back,” he said, tossing his keys into the dish on the counter, the clanging sound echoing against the walls.

“Hey,” Sousuke said from the living room. “How was lunch with Gou?”

Rin walked through the kitchen towards the living room. “It was nice. She said she got her band together yesterday.” Glancing down, he noticed the extra glass and dish in the sink. “Was Yukio here?”

“Yeah,” Sousuke said. “But she had to go. Which is a shame because she wants to meet you. Says she wants to meet the other half of our arrangement.”

Rin could hear the smirk in Sousuke’s tone. “Other half,” he groaned, walking out of the kitchen and nearing the doorway to the living room. “You’re just in an open relationship, or does she not know what that means?”

Sousuke laughed and Rin saw him sitting on the couch, shirtless and with his acoustic guitar in his lap. “Yeah, she does,” he said, dramatically playing a chord and looking up at Rin with a teasing glare. “But do you?”

Rin rolled his eyes and dropped his bag to the floor, walking over to the couch. “Shut up,” he said, trying to keep his blushing at bay. He plopped down beside Sousuke as his roommate resumed playing on the guitar. Rin laughed and looked over the second he recognized the succession of chords. “You’re playing _Wave Break_?”

“Yeah,” Sousuke said, silently above his strumming. “I think I found a way to complete it.”

“No way!”

Sousuke laughed. “Yeah way, check it out,” he said, continuing to strum on his guitar.

Rin closed his eyes and rested his head against the couch. The notes he had first imagined on the shores of Australia months ago finally began to take form right beside him; he had struggled so much with them, but they meant so much to him, that moment had meant so much to him. He breathed in deeply and started to hum along until the words came to his lips.

_Sky is dark_  
Sun is gone  
Here without you,  
All along. 

_And this time I’ll watch the waves break without you…_

“Yeah,” Sousuke said, interrupting Rin’s singing as he set his guitar aside. “Something like that.”

Rin laughed and punched Sousuke lightly on the shoulder. “No, that’s it!” He turned his head and grabbed the back of Sousuke’s neck, bringing him in for a hard kiss. “I’m texting Ai and Momo,” he said, breaking from the kiss abruptly and jumping off the couch to head for his bedroom.

“Why?” 

“Emergency rehearsal,” Rin said, coming out of his room with his own guitar. “We’re gonna finish this song tonight, I totally think we can audition with it on Friday.”

Sousuke laughed, his eyes wide in amused shock, and leaned back against the couch. “We have rehearsal tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but I’m inspired now! We can totally finish this song tonight,” he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and scrolling through his phone to send an emergency text. He sent it and smirked, looking up at Sousuke. “You know you’re amazing, right?”

“Come on, save that talk for later.”

Rin’s smile widened as the heat rose in his cheeks. “Don’t worry, I will,” he said, pocketing his phone and rejoining Sousuke on the couch. He started to tune his guitar, but he was too distracted with excitement; the song that he had started months ago would finally become complete, and perhaps even be the song to get them into the competition. Maybe even win it.

\---

By Friday afternoon, Rin and the Hammerheads had fine-tuned and completed the song, making it ready for auditions. 

“I’m so psyched,” Momo screamed, walking into the building with the band, his arm tightly wrapped around Ai nearly causing the bassist to fall over.

“Yeah, we get it,” Ai whined, trying to wriggle out of Momo’s hold.

Rin smiled and continued towards the sign in desk. “Hey, we’re the Hammerheads, our audition is…”

“Right now,” the woman said, scanning the list. “Arriving fashionably late as always, aren’t you, Matsuoka?” She smirked and looked up at Rin brightly.

Rin laughed and looked behind him. “I didn’t think we were running _that_ that late, but…”

The woman laughed and made a check on her list. “Just head down the hallway, it’s the door all the way at the end. There’s a few other bands waiting, but you just made it for your time slot so you can head on in,” she said, pointing the way with her hand.

“Thanks,” Rin and the others said, following the length of the hall.

“She seems to be a fan,” Sousuke said, nudging Rin with his elbow.

Rin laughed and glanced back at the woman over his shoulder. “She’s been working for Big Bite Records for years, and she’s always really enjoyed our music,” he said, before he spotted a familiar figure by the door. “Hey, Gou!!”

Rin’s sister turned around, her ponytail swinging behind her. “Rin!”

As Rin approached, he saw a group of four young men huddled around Gou. “Hey, this must be your band!” 

“Yup,” she said, nodding enthusiastically. “I think they’re audition time is right after yours.”

“Awesome,” he said, scanning the band members lined up against the wall with their instruments in hand. His eyes paused once he spotted the guitarist, his piercing blue eyes causing Rin to take a double take. Rin was taken aback by the intensity of the guy’s stare and felt his chest tighten the longer he held his gaze. He wasn’t entirely sure how to process the moment, but the guitarist kept contact, his eyes never blinking. 

“Best of luck in there, you guys,” he said, swallowing hard, trying to regain a bit of composure. 

They nodded and softly expressed their thanks, all except the guitarist, whose eyes were still unyielding.

Rin shivered and eagerly grabbed the door handle, heading right in to the audition room.

“Hey, the Hammerheads!! We’ve been waiting for you!”

Gorou Sasabe, record producer and creator of the Big Bite Battle of the Bands, got up from the table at the edge of the room and eagerly greeted Rin with a hearty handshake. “It’s been lonely without you guys in the competition, we’re glad to see you back!”

Rin returned the handshake with equal vigor and laughed. “Well, we had some things to sort out, but we’re glad to be back.”

“And better than ever! People are still raving about your reunion show last weekend,” Sasabe said, going down the line to greet each member of the band. “Wish I could have been there, but I was out of town. And this must be Mikoshiba’s little brother!”

Momo laughed awkwardly as Sasabe attacked his hand. “Heh, yeah, I’m Momo.”

“You’re brother was great. Too bad he had to grow up,” Sasabe said, laughing. He rejoined the other members of the audition committee behind the table and shuffled through some papers. “So, what have you got for us today, boys?”

Rin smirked and looked back at his band, all of them showing as much excitement as he was feeling. “A brand new song,” Rin said, and the band took that as their cue to set up.

“You played a few at the show, right? I heard they were great,” Sasabe said, jotting some notes down, his hand moving quick with excitement. “So, you’re gonna play one of those?”

“Nah,” Rin said, plugging his guitar into a free amp. “This one wasn’t ready for the show. We just finished it last night.”

Sasabe’s jaw dropped but it immediately sprang back into a wildly enthusiastic smile. “We’ll let’s get on with it!”

Rin nodded and after some tuning up, he scanned his band. They were all prepared and eager to start playing. He walked up to the microphone, switched it on, and leaned into it. “This is _Wave Break_.”

Rarely did Rin play his guitar, but he insisted that this song needed both him and Sousuke playing. He led the song in, followed by Ai’s enchanting bass line. The song picked up with Sousuke’s entrance, but it wasn’t until the first chorus, with the introduction of Momo’s drums, that the song began to truly form. It had the intensity of a rock anthem, but with all the ethereal beauty of a ballad. Rin lost himself in his own lyrics, imagining that day where the song first came to him, where Sousuke tracked him down in a foreign country, on the turbulent shores of Australia.

_And I’m here watching the waves break beside you._

Rin ended the song on his own and the room filled with a breathless pause. It took moments before Sasabe snapped out of his trance. He went wild and nearly jumped over the table.

“You are not the same Hammerheads from two years ago, what happened?!”

Ai looked nervous, gripping his bass with shaking hands. “Was it bad?”

“Bad!?! That was incredible!!”

“Thanks,” Rin said, trying to suppress his excitement. “That means a lot.”

“Wow,” Sasabe said, scanning the band. “You know, we still have more bands to hear, but that…I mean, you’re in, no doubt about that, but that was incredible,” he said, awestruck. “If the rest of your new material is like that, I have no doubt you guys will win this year.”

“Really?” Sousuke sounded stunned.

“Sasabe...” A stern voice from behind the table drew Sasabe back.

He laughed awkwardly and walked back towards the table. “I mean, that’s just my opinion, but you guys. Excellent job. Wow.”

“Thank you, gentlemen,” said one of the other two people at the table. “You may exit through those double doors. The results will be posted on Monday.”

“Thank you,” Rin said, waving the audition team off, and leading his band out through a second set of doors. But he chanced a glance behind him at the other door, where the other bands awaited their audition slot, and those blue eyes came to haunt his memory.


End file.
